Mining-machine.



E. OTOOLEl MINING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24. 1913.

Patent-ed Nov. 5, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

FIG.1

wrmsssas 'mvmTo'n wpwmw EITW' OTUCBLE. 0E GARY, WEST If/HIilING-MACHIHE.

Application filed February 24, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD OTOOLE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Gary, in the county of McDowell and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful. Mining-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mining machines used in mining coal and similar materials and the invention more particularly relates to the construction and arrangement of the cutter heads, the conveyers and the operating mechanismby which the apparatus is actuated, forming part of the mining machines.

@ne object of this invention is to provide a mining machine having a cutter head of improved construction operatively mounted thereon and having novel means whereby the cutter head is actuated to remove the coal and cut the clearance in the coal seam necessary to admit the advancing mining machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mining machine having a cutter head of improved construction mounted thereon and having novel means whereby the machine is maintained in operative position while the cutter head is being actuated during the coal cutting operations, and still furth r objects of my invention will appear as the invention is more fully described and claimed hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan showing a mining machine having a cutter head thereon constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention.

ig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail showing the construction of the stop mechanism and the cutter head reciprocating mechanism, the section being taken on the irregular line HLQiH of Fig. 2.

Fig. l is a sectional side elevation taken on the line IV-IV of 1 showing a detail of the ratchet mechanism by which the traction wheels are actuated in moving the mining machine forwardly and backwardly.

in the accompanying drawings the numeral 2 designates the side frames of the carriage of a mining machine provided with axles 33 which are rotatably mounted in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 5, 1918.. Serial no. 750,218.

suitable bearings l fastened to the side frames.

Traction wheels 5-5 are provided on the ends of the axles 3 by which the mining machine is supported and is caused to move into and out of the entry of the mine from Which the coal or other material is being removed, and the peripheral surfaces of the traction wheels 5 are provided with projections or spikes 6 to increase their tractive force in moving the carriage and in holding the cutters or picks in operative engagement with the face of the coal seam.

A. Worm wheel is provided on each of the axles 33, these worm wheels meshing with and being actuated by the worms 88 on the horizontal shaft 9. The worms are conveniently located near the ends of the iorizontal shaft 9, between the pairs of bearings 10-l0, 10-10 which are secured on one side frame 2 of the carriage and in which the shaft 9 is rotatably mounted. The shaft 9 is also provided with a ratchet wheel 11 by which it is rotated to actuate the worms 8 and turn the traction wheels 5 in the operation on the mining machine.

On the forward or front end of the carriage 2 is a reciprocatory slide 12 comprising part of the horizontally reciprocating cutter-head forming part of this invention, the top and bottom of the front end of the carriage and contacting face of the slide 1:2 having registering T-shaped slots 13 grooves 14 by which the slide is secured in place on the carriage so as to be horizontally movable.

The lower end of the slide 12 is providel with bracket bearings 15-15 in which. shaft 16 is mounted and bearings 1'717 are provided on the upper end of the slide 12 for the drive shaft 18.

The head plate 19 forming a part of the cutter head is provided on its upper end with a series of bracket bearings 21 (see Figs. 1 and 2) in which the sprocket wheel shaft 22 is rotatabl Y mounted, and of similarly constructed bracket beari formed integrally on the lower end head plate 19, the shaft 16 passing i these bearings to pivotally secure the )5 plate at its lower and to the bottom of slide I The shaft is has a series wheels 23 keyed, or otherwise 132st tl r and at,

on at separated intervals in its length, the shaft 22, a similar series of wheels these wheels being arranged to rotate with the shafts.

ters 26 are adjustably held in position by set screws 27 or equivalent means.

The upper end of the head plate 19 has lugs or cars QS-to which a screw threaded eye-bolt 29 is pivotally secured by a pin 30 and the screw threaded end of the eyebolt 29 projects through a swivel eye 31 which is pivotally secured in bearings 32 located on the outer ends of brackets 33 which project angularly upward and outward from the top of the slide 12. A nut 31 on the screw threaded portion of the bolt 39 engages each side of the swivel eye 31 and provides means for adjusting and holding the head plate 19 in angular-1y adjusted position with respect to the slide 12.

The head plate 19 is also provided with short lugs or cars 35, 35 forming bearings in which the ends of the U-shaped bracket 36 are pivotally secured. These lugs 35 and also the lugs 37 on the head plate 19 have slots or recesses therein through which the stop bar 38 projects. The stop bar extends lengthwise across the face of the head plate 19 and is provided with shoes 39? 9 on its ends arranged to engage with the opposite sides of the mine entry and prevent sidewise movement of the carriage 2 of the mining machine.

Pivotally mounted in lugs or bearings em -l0 on the stop bar 38 is an eccentric strap il and operatively engaging with the eccentric strap is an eccentric 12 which is fastened to one end of the shaft The shaft a3 ext-ends through the bearing is: on the bracket 36 lengthwise at right angles to the length of he stop bar. The shaft. 43 also extends through the bearings and has a worm wheel 16 splined thereon, this worm wheel being positioned between the bearings 4J -l-5 on the worm wheel bracket 4b which is pivotally mounted on the shaft 1a. The shaft 18 extends through bearings to -l4) on the bracket by which the worm 531 is held in position between the ends of the bearings #14.) so as to mesh with and drive the, worm Wilt/El it).

tin the outer end of the shaft if?) is a ct wheel $32 which is connected by a r chain 5 wi t wheel w the shaft shai' t lti is i fillttl witb'a s1 "heel ar en o n'iesh wit a 1 it? on our eno +5 t sidewise nhoveinent of the spur gear 55 necessary in operating the cutter head while positively rotating the chains :25 and picks or cutters 26 forming part of the cutter head.

The other end of the motor armature shaft 57 is provided with a spur pinion 59 which meshes with a spur gear 1 on the'countershaft (31 mounted in bracket bearings 02-02 on the carriage 2. The outer end of the countershaft (31 also has a sprocket wheel (33 thereon which is connected by the sprocket chain (31 with sprocket wheel us on the end of the shaft (36 mounted in the bearings (J-67 on the (:irriage :2. The shaft (36 is provided with sprocket wheels (3SUS which engage with the conveyor chains (39 (39 and drive the coni'eyer formed by the chains (i9-(' 9 and flights 70 p0sitioned therebetween at intervals in the length of the chain.

The conveyer driving shaft 66 is also provided on its outer end with an eccentric '71 which is connected by an eccentric. strap '72 and rod 73 with the ratchet lever 74:. The ratchet lever is pivoted on the shaft 9 and is provided with a ratchet pawl '75 which engages with the teeth of the to rotate the. shaft 9 and, through the worms 8 on the ends of this shaft, and worm wheels meshing therewith, turn the axles 3 and traction wheel 5 in advancing and retracting the mining machine to move the cutters or picks :26 into and out of engagement with the face of the coal seam.

The carriage :2 has a rearwardly extending tail or apron 7 G which is formed so as to be supported by the carriage above the floor of the mine entry.

()n the lower front end of the frame 2 is a sprocket shaft 77 having sprocket wheels 7878 thereon and the rear end of the apron or tail 7(3 of the carriage 2 has a shaft 79 secured in hearings S0-80 thereon and provided with sprocket wheels 81-81.

At intermediate points in. the length of the frame 2 are sprocket wheels 8'28:2 which are mounted on the shaft 83 secured in the bearings Si -84s on the sides of the mining machine carriage 2, these idler sprocket wheel's being employed to change the angular direction of travel of the endless eon- "i'eyer chains 69*GQ.

rocket w eels KS--85, on a shaft it wh .h the bot-tom of the cart lJtlsYtEiTll the tractio for cli k e frame at a point is supported in bearings 8I 87 on ratchet wheel 11 A low the lower side of the mining the coal, these conveyers being made ri ht and left hand to cause the cut coal to e conveyed from the sides to the center of the mine entry in position in front of the flight conveyer.

The bottom 90 of the carriage frame, be-

lowermost conveyer flights forms a flat surface between the sides of the carriage 2 over which the coal is pulled or drawn when the conveyer is operating to deliver coal from in front of the machine to the rear end thereof, the conveyer moving in the direction shown by the arrows in Fig. 2.

On each side of the carriage 2 behind the spiral conveyers 88 and 89, with the lower edges thereof extending horizontally at the floor level, is a scraper 91 by which the cut coal is moved and held in position to beengaged by the rotating screw cpnveyers 88 and 89 during the operation of the mining machine.

In the operation of my im roved mining machine the cutter head is adJusted to bring the picks 26 and chains 25 forming part of the cutter head into the desired angular position with respect to the face of the coal seam from which coal is to be removed, and the motor 58 is started.

Such operation of the motor causes the shafts 16 and 22 to rotate, and through the eccentric 42 engaging with the eccentric strap causes the cutter head to reciprocate sidewise. By rotating the shafts l6 and 22 the cutters or picks 26 on the sprocket chains 25, (which preferably move in the direction caused to engage with the face of the coal seam and remove the coal from the face of the seam.

The o eration of the motor 58 also causes the sha t 66 to rotate and drive the flight conveyer formed by the chains 69 and flights 70, and, through the chains of this conveyer, to rotate the shaft 77 and the screw conveyers 78 thereon. When the motor 58 is operating, the cocentric 71 on the shaft 66, through the connecting ratchet mechanism, rotates the shaft 9 and by means of the worms 8 and the worm wheels on the axles 3 actuates the traction wheels 5 so as to cause the mining machine to move forwardly and maintain the cutters or picks 26 in operative engage-. ment with the face of the coal seam.

The coal as removed from the face of the seam by the picks 26 falls to the bottom of the entry and the coal lying at the sides of the entry in front of the screw conveyers 88 and 89 is moved sidewise by these conveyers toward the center of the entry into position in front of the flight conve er 6970, and this coal, together .with t at which falls in front of the conveyer 6970 is transferred by the flight conveyer 68 indicated by the arrows) areover the bottom 90 of the mining machine carriage to the rear end of the machine from which it is discharged into suitable carriers positioned beneath the tail 76 at the discharge end of the mining machine.

Preferably, a car or buggy is positioned to receive the coal as it is delivered from the end'of the tail 76 of the machine by the flight conveyer.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The apparatus is simple and is easily kept in repair. a

Modifications in the construction and arrangement of the partsmay be made without departing from my invention. The sidewise reciprocating cutter head may be employed with mining machines constructed otherwise than as shown. The construction of the picks and holders therefor may be changed, and other changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim l. A mining machine comprising in 'combination, a wheeled carriage, a horizontally reciprocating cutter head having vertically movable picks thereon, an endless flight conveyer on said carriage for conveying the mined material to the rear of the mining machine, and a screw conveyer for gathering and delivering the mined material in front of said carriage into position to be engaged by the flight conveyer, a driving motor on the carriage for actuating the cutter head, means operatively connecting said motor with the flight and screw conveyers, and means on said carriage projecting sidewise from each side thereof into engagement with the sides of the mine to prevent sidewise movement of the carriage when the cutter head is reciprocated.

2. A mining machine comprising in combination, awhecled carriage, a horizontally reciprocating cutter head having vertically movable picks thereon, an endless flight conveyer on said carriage for conveying the mined material to the rear of the mining machine, and a screw conveyer for gathering and delivering the mined material in front of said carriage into position for engagement by the flight conveyer, a driving motor on the carriage for actuating the cutter head, means operatively connecting said motor with the flight and screw conveyers, and'means operatively co -necting said motor and the carriage wheels for moving the carriage, said. cutter head and carriage moving simultaneously with the cutting operation.

3. A mining machine comprising in combination a wheeled carriage, a horizontally reciprocating cutter head movably secured on the carriage, said cutter head having vertically movable picks thereon, an endless flight conveyer on the carriage for conveying the mined materials from-below the cutter head to the rear of said carriage, a motor on the carriage for actuating the cutter head, and means operatively connecting said motor with the flight conveyer.

4. A mining machine comprising in combination a wheeled carriage, a horizontally reciprocating cutter head movably securedon the carriage, said cutter head having vertically movable picks thereon, an endless flight conveyer on such carriage for convey ing the mined materials from below the cutter head to therear of said arriage, a mo- .tor on the carriage for actuating the cutter head, means operatively connecting said -motor with the flight conveyor, and means operatively connecting said motor with the carriage wheels for moving the carriage.

5. A mining machin comprising in combination, a wheeled carriage, a cutter head having picks thereon and adapted to deposit the mined coal on the mine floor, a conveyer I upon said carriage below said cutter head arranged to collect and heap the mined coal on the mine floor in front of the carriage, a second conveyer on the carriage arranged to transfer the heaped coal to the rear of the mining machine, and means on said carriage for actuating said cutter head and conveyers.

6. A minin machine comprising in combination, a w eeled carriage, a cutter head having picks thereon and adapted to deposit the mined coal on the mine floor, a conveyer on said carriage below said cutter head arranged to collect and heap the mined coal on the mine floor in front of the carriage, a second conveyer on the carriage arranged to transfer the heaped coal to the rear of the mining machine, a driving-motor on the carriage, and means operatively connecting the motor to said cutter head and conveyers, and the wheels of said carriage.

7 A mining machine comprising in combination, a wheeled carriage, a cutter head laterally reciprocable on said carriage and having picks thereon and adapted to deposit the mined coal on the mine floor, a con-veyer upon said carriage below said cutter head arranged to collect and heap the mined coal on the mine floor in front of the carriage, a second conveyor on the carriage arranged to transfer the heaped coal to the rear of the mining machine, means engaging the sides of the mine for preventing sidewise movement of the mining machine during the operation thereof, and'means on said carriage for actuating said cutter head and conveyers.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWARD 'oTooLE.

Witnesses C. P. GROVES, GABE BRUNER. 

